Helmut Newton dominated by naked women

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

I have often discussed in the Current Art group the trend for gigantic painting and sculpture. It applies equally to photography, as shown by the results reached by very large prints by Prince or Gursky.

The pioneer of photographic gigantism was Helmut Newton. Christie's tells the story in its catalog from the sale of December 16 in New York.

In 1980, German police was chasing the terrorist group Baader-Meinhof. Photos were prepared showing group members full length and life size.

Newton immediately had the idea to do the same with his favorite subject: the female nude full-front standing up on high heel shoes. His Big Nude series includes at least sixteen photos of different women, numbered in Roman numerals. Thus were born these black and white 2 x 1 m prints which are the strongest pieces of his work.

The best known is the number III, Henrietta. She is sculptural, rebel and domineering. It is estimated at $ 400 K as Lot 16 of the sale. On 1 November 2005, Christie's had sold another copy £ 180 K costs included.

Of course, Newton continued in the same trend. In 1981 for Vogue magazine, he photographed in diptychs some groups of naked and clothed people, presented in exactly the same position. The best picture, entitled Sie kommen (they are coming), shows four women coming in a walking attitude. Each element is composed of two panels of the same size as Big Nudes. Lot 59 is estimated 400 K $. A small print of the same diptych was sold $ 240 K inclusive by Christie's on April 10 2008.

In the December sale, fans of Newton may make their choice among 89 lots of this artist.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

The photo market is doing well, definitely.

Sie Kommen got an excellent result: 660 K $ inclusive. I did not find in the databases a result for a copy of this photo in this size.

Henrietta, a sought but less rare photo, was sold at around its lower estimate: 480 K $ inclusive.